AS I crossed the finishing line at Tramore on Draycott Place in first place last Sunday I jubilantly punched the air, making no attempt to hide my emotions. I had good reason for doing so; not only had I just completed the first double of my career, that second win also saw my claim reduced to 5Ib, thus capping a wonderful afternoon.

I was mad about horses from a very young age, despite having no background in racing.

Although my parents never understood where the interest came from they were very supportive and took me to the nearby Forest Stables at the tender age of five.

The Fermanagh Harriers hunted close to our village twice a year and Pat Murphy, the Master, allowed me to ride with them for half the day. My parents purchased some ground off a neighbour and I saved up and bought my first pony at 11 years old. I hunted for four seasons with the Fermanagh Harriers, while also buying and selling horses on the side. At 15 I had 12 or 14 horses at home, which I broke myself and later sold on.

DAVID CHRISTIE

At 14 I started working part-time with local trainer David Christie and when I finished school, I spent two years full-time with him.

I bought a couple of point-to-pointers, which I rode in races and was also given outside rides, including a horse called Folduf, owned by local huntsman Willie Vance.

I got on very well with Willie and he bought that horse specifically to give me some experience. I won on Folduf on my last ever point-to-point ride - a nice way to finish my education.

OLIVER BRADY

In 2012, I left David Christie’s and began working for the late Oliver Brady. I was successful on my very first outing for Oliver and he encouraged me to turn conditional.

I felt that I was too inexperienced but Oliver was adamant, promising that he would support me. He was true to his word and managed to leg me up on a winner on my debut as a conditional jockey.

The horse in question, Flamenco Prince, was returned at 66/1 and, amazingly, won for the first time on his 66th racecourse appearance!

A week later, despite being a relatively inexperienced jockey I rode Imperial Shabra to win a novice chase at the Galway September meeting. Oliver showed tremendous faith in my ability despite my age and experience and I got a great thrill from beating established riders like Paul Townend and Davy Russell. I can’t thank him and Rita Shah enough for what they did for me in those early years.

They gave me the confidence and belief to give it a real go and prove that I was good enough to hold my own against the best out there.

Oliver was one of a kind and there will never be another like him; he was a great character and a real gentleman. I rode four winners in my first season (2012/13) and followed that up with a further eight last season. However, my season was cut short in June when I had a horrible fall at Ballinrobe that meant I was out of action until early November. I was lucky to escape serious injury as I was unconscious for 12 or 14 hours and had bruising on my brain. My memory wasn’t great for weeks after and I suffered headaches, so for obvious reasons, I wasn’t allowed back race-riding until the doctors were satisfied I had recovered. I found those few months very difficult; my mood wasn’t great and it felt that everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Even the very morning I was going to get my licence back, a man crashed into me, totally writing off my car!

FREELANCE

Once I got the all clear, I went back to Oliver Brady’s but following his passing I decided to go freelance and moved down to Tipperary. I felt there would be more opportunities around the Munster area and thankfully that has proved the case. I ride out for a number of different trainers including John Patrick Ryan, Enda Bolger, Patrick Neville and Leslie Young.

I had my first winner since returning from injury, when Draycott Place won at Limerick last month and that was a great relief, proving to myself that I still had what it takes.

Last Sunday, I travelled to Tramore full of confidence, needing a double to lose my 7Ib claim and believing that I had a realistic chance of two or three winners. After Cappacurry Zak won the handicap hurdle, I knew that it was going to be my day.

In the parade ring before Draycott Place’s race, his trainer John Patrick Ryan congratulated me on my earlier success but I said ‘forget about the first one, John, I have to ride a double!’ A few minutes later, I did just that, giving me the reason for my exuberant celebrations after crossing the line.

I have to thank all the owners and trainers that have supported me in my career. Every time I go out and ride in a race, I realise how fortunate I am. The bigger jockeys and trainers are getting bigger and the small lads are getting smaller.

There are fewer opportunities for young lads like me to compete against the star names and it takes guts for a small trainer or owner to say they want Ryan Treacy to ride their horse, when the likes of Ruby Walsh or Barry Geraghty might be available. I wouldn’t be able to live my dream without the support of all those that are behind me (owners, trainers, close friends, parents and extended family), and I am very grateful to each and every one of them.

Ryan Treacy was in conversation with John O’Riordan